Why did WW1 go on for so long...anyone know of any good articles or books?

I'm doing an essay similar to the question of why the first world war went on so long, and was wondering if anybody knows of any good articles or books that may be useful? Thank you :smile:

Reply 1

Miracle Day

21

Talk about how it was more of a defensive war e.g trenches so it was harder to attack. Then talk about things like Ypres v2's last battles where in 6 days the Germans advanced a poor 1k yards.

Also, there was a revolution for metal tins so the UK coule export food etc alot easier so they could fight.

Reply 2

Ardilla

A good place to start: Paul Kennedy: Rise and Fall og Great Powers

It was actually just a very poorly adminstered war; for example, the British army expected approx. 100.000 volunteers after 6 months. In the first month alone, they got over 500.000 volunteers! - Nationhood was at it's highest at the outbreak of the war, with a massive arms race ( Militarism Gone Mad).

The war industry was the nation's pride and people identified themselves with it. Therefore the war industry was massive, even in peace time and could then sustain a long and terrible war. - They were all geared for war in a industrial and technological perspective. However the strategical and administrative perspective was old school

two armies meeting on a field was the classic way of thinking war. - This was how the generals were still thinking in 1914. When soldiers were slaughtered by machine guns and artillery, trenches became necessary. Hence dragging the war to a stalemate.

Anyway, it's a MASSIVE topic and I'm sure there are other's who have inputs.

Other good literature would be: A.J.P Taylor: War By Time-table: How the First World War Began

Niall Ferguson: The War of the World: Twentieth-Century Conflict and the Descent of the West ( A MUST! )

Robert Doughty: Pyrrhic victory: French strategy and operations in the Great War (Pyrrhic Victory meaning: won the battle but lost the war....)

Michael Lyons, World War I: A Short History (Handy and easy to read- gives you a great overlook)

Also you could try to find some articles by Eric Kurlander. ( to get a German perspective!- remember Winners write history! )

Anyway, these are just what I can remember of the top of my head. If you can read German I can mention a handful more?

Reply 3

snapper1

OP

11

Original post by Ardilla

A good place to start: Paul Kennedy: Rise and Fall og Great Powers

It was actually just a very poorly adminstered war; for example, the British army expected approx. 100.000 volunteers after 6 months. In the first month alone, they got over 500.000 volunteers! - Nationhood was at it's highest at the outbreak of the war, with a massive arms race ( Militarism Gone Mad).

The war industry was the nation's pride and people identified themselves with it. Therefore the war industry was massive, even in peace time and could then sustain a long and terrible war. - They were all geared for war in a industrial and technological perspective. However the strategical and administrative perspective was old school

two armies meeting on a field was the classic way of thinking war. - This was how the generals were still thinking in 1914. When soldiers were slaughtered by machine guns and artillery, trenches became necessary. Hence dragging the war to a stalemate.

Anyway, it's a MASSIVE topic and I'm sure there are other's who have inputs.

Other good literature would be: A.J.P Taylor: War By Time-table: How the First World War Began

Niall Ferguson: The War of the World: Twentieth-Century Conflict and the Descent of the West ( A MUST! )

Robert Doughty: Pyrrhic victory: French strategy and operations in the Great War (Pyrrhic Victory meaning: won the battle but lost the war....)

Michael Lyons, World War I: A Short History (Handy and easy to read- gives you a great overlook)

Also you could try to find some articles by Eric Kurlander. ( to get a German perspective!- remember Winners write history! )

Anyway, these are just what I can remember of the top of my head. If you can read German I can mention a handful more?